The Torah and Spirit Traditions of Nehemiah 9 in their Literary Setting. Moses and the Prophets Redivivi

This article revisits the use of Torah and spirit traditions in Nehemiah 9 and highlights the function of this prayer and these traditions in the presentation of the figures of Ezra and Nehemiah in the literary corpus in which the prayer is found (Nehemiah 7–13). The role of these two Persian period leaders is aligned with that of Moses (Ezra in Nehemiah 8) and the prophets (Nehemiah in Nehemiah 13). This evidence reveals that Yahweh's spirit plays a key role alongside the Torah and the influence of the spirit is linked to the role played by various figures within the community, ranging from scribes to Levites to lay-leaders, to interpret, apply, and embrace the scriptures.